


Flower Crowns and Black Piercings

by ILikeStopwatches



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: M/M, also idk that much about punk stuff, and ends when they are 16, gay used as slur, it starts when they are 8, so i guess its mainly in secondary school?, so you can tell me any corrections, there is like two or three OCs but with really small parts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21644752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ILikeStopwatches/pseuds/ILikeStopwatches
Summary: Instead of the usual trope of Punk!Phil bullying Pastel!Dan previously, in this fic, Phil becomes Punk for Dan.AkaA hella lot of fluff with a bit of angst.(My secret Santa for karcathy: "I don't know what true love even is, Dan, but I do want to hang out with you for the rest of my life.")
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12
Collections: Phandom Fic Fests Holiday Exchange 2019





	Flower Crowns and Black Piercings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [karcathy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karcathy/gifts).



> Thanks to my beta for helping with a few ideas and improving this fic so much: heartfeltfangirl.  
> My secret Santa for [karcathy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karcathy/profile): "I don't know what true love even is, Dan, but I do want to hang out with you for the rest of my life."  
> Find me on tumblr [@ilikestopwatches](https://ilikestopwatches.tumblr.com/).

The sun shone high in the azure sky with barely a white, fluffy cloud in sight. The lush, green grass danced happily in the slight breeze. The birds tweeted shrilly, declaring their love for the world as they flew from tree to tree. Colourful flowers were dotted about and, in amongst it all, two boys were sitting and smiling and making daisy chains.

"Here, Dan," one boy said to the other, "I've finished."

He lovingly placed the daisy necklace over the soft, brown curls of the younger boy.

"Thanks, Phil. I'm nearly done," Dan replied, his face a picture of concentration. 

Phil began making another, his fingers expertly splitting stalks and pushing the flower through. Meanwhile, Dan was slowly but surely making his first, pausing every now and then to wipe his sweaty hands on his pastel blue trousers or to push his curly hair off his face on this hot summer's day. The two boys' faces glowed pink, perhaps with the warmth.

"I might burn soon. It's really hot. We should move to the shade," Phil told the pastel boy and they each picked a handful of flowers before relocating to a cooler spot beneath a large tree whose thick branches and wide, green leaves became the perfect parasol for them.

However, they had barely settled in their new spot when a menacing looking kid wearing a denim jacket with rolled up sleeves and a nasty expression sauntered over.

"Your clothes are so gay," he laughed and his two friends joined in, pointing at Dan's choice of outfit.

Dan stared at Phil, his lip quivering and a worried expression on his face. Phil knew it was up to him, as the oldest, to protect Dan and he stood up ready. Ready to fight for his friend. The leader drew back his foot, as though to kick Dan, and Phil, seizing his chance, pushed him. Tugging at Dan's hand, Phil led him to a tree which was closer to their parents and far safer.

"Are you alright now?" Phil worriedly asked as he drew Dan in for a hug.

"Yeah," Dan smiled, "You were so brave!"

"Thanks."

"Phil?"

"Yeah?"

"What does gay mean?"

Phil may only have been eight and a half to Dan's eight but Dan saw him as far more knowledgeable and, with his extensive reading, Phil often was.

"It's when two boys like each other," Phil said as they sat back down in the shade.

"Well I like you," Dan squeezed Phil's hand, "Does that make me gay?"

"No, not really. It's a bit like your parents but with two boys. Or two girls," Phil answered his best friend.

"Oh. Ok." And then nearly two minutes later Dan confessed, "I was really scared."

That was when the fear came out. His lip began to wobble and his chocolate brown eyes sparkled as he buried his face in Phil's plaid shirt and clung onto Phil for dear life. And so, as Phil whispered comfortingly to Dan, he vowed never to let Dan be that afraid again. No matter what.

The next day saw Phil and his brother in a playground, playing Pirates. They ran around and under the playground equipment, enjoying the momentary freedom from their parents. It was Phil's turn to be the fierce pirate with the magic curse when an intimidating, older black haired girl wandered over, "Hey, kid. You seen a tall guy with a snake tattoo?"

Phil felt in awe of her. "No," his voice squeaked and he ran away to count. But now he knew how to protect Dan. He was going to become as scary as her.

Phil took a deep breath and knocked on Dan's door. Snatches of thoughts echoed around his head. Both 'what if' questions and prayers chased each other to make themselves known and Phil clenched his hands and jaw to try and make it stop.

After agonising seconds of waiting, a yawning Dan who had barely woken up opened the door, "What do you-". Dan trailed off as he took in Phil's appearance. Gone was the plaid shirts and gingery brown hair. Instead, Phil was dressed in black with a denim jacket, dyed black hair and fake piercings.  
"Is this a really weird dream?" Dan asked in bewilderment.  
"No," Phil replied, "I just… I just think looking punk and scary might stop people picking on you."  
"Oh," Dan said, the faintest hint of a blush dancing across his cheeks and his dimple appearing.

It was at that point that Dan realised they were both stood in the doorway still and he quickly stepped back, allowing Phil in. They spent the rest of the day together, playing games and chatting and Dan started to get used to Phil's punk look. In the end, he even felt that it perfectly complimented his colourful pastel wardrobe. Dan was also glad to see that Phil had the same personality as always and the clothes had no effect on his never ending kindness to Dan. Dan honestly did not know what he had done to deserve this boy who would go to extreme lengths to ensure Dan was happy.

As Dan's pastel wardrobe expanded, Phil's range of punk clothes and, when his parents deemed him old enough, piercings increased too.Their friendship circles widened in different directions and any onlooker would have thought they were drifting slowly away. However, inside, they were the same they had been all those years ago, making daisy chains for each other. Their friendship was always true and they remained the whole world to each other. 

Phil had vowed to protect Dan and he had fulfilled that vow many times over. Each time he wished it would be the last but the innocent pastel boy seemed to be a magnet for teasing and trouble.

As the first day of secondary school drew closer, Phil grew more nervous; it was unlikely that he'd be with Dan in most of his classes. However, Phil was comforted by the fact that he knew they'd remain friends and they met up almost every day of the summer holidays. On the days they didn't see each other, it was because Phil was taking karate lessons that he had received for his 11th birthday. He was only 6 months in but getting pretty good at it and was already an orange belt.  
The summer had passed in a blur of Dan, karate lessons, punk music and begging his parents for another piercing. They had relented earlier that year and let him have studs but hadn't allowed him any more. 

Finally, the first day of school was upon them and he and Dan were walking through the wide and wooded lanes that led there. The size of the school was nearly overwhelming and there was a buzzing atmosphere of seeing friends again. The noise seemed to increase each time Phil looked away from Dan. Together, they hurried away from the main entrance and, after getting nearly lost twice, managed to find their form room. As they entered the room, it seemed like everyone had turned to stare at the two boys whose appearance was polar opposite. Although there was a uniform, the rules were quite relaxed and the students could express themselves. The punk boy with the dyed black hair had two real black earrings in each lobe and a fake nose piercing. In contrast, the pastel boy beside him had soft pink and blue highlights in his light brown hair and his usual flower crown was instead in the form of a bracelet around his wrist. Phil could see that Dan was feeling self-conscious at the sudden attention and they tried to subtly sit at the back as the bell rang, beginning the day.

The problems only started at lunch time as they sat and ate while the sun grew steadily warmer. Dan stood up and took off his blazer but doing so revealed the flower bracelet and caused him to draw the attention of a nearby group of rowdy year 9s. Within seconds they were muttering amongst themselves and Phil was reminded of what had happened in the park. Only this time he was prepared. When the comments started, Phil used some of his new karate skills - this was definitely self defence - and if his brother didn't count, got into the first proper fight of his life.

A teacher was called over to stop it but not before Phil had managed to get a good few punches in and earned the respect of several onlookers. Word spread about the Year 7 punk boy and Phil may have spent the week outside the headteacher's office but it had been worth it to protect his Dan.

Anyone who even thought of teasing Dan knew they would have to go through Phil. Not the Phil Lester from the park but 'that punk Phil' who had more piercings than the Art department had working felt tip pens. Phil Lester was known as the boy not to be messed with and Dan Howell as the boy under his protection. Phil was happy that Dan was happy and Dan was eternally grateful that he wasn't getting bullied. Of course, what happened next would always be inevitable.

They were walking down the lane back from school a few years later and, as Spring was flaunting its beauty, flowers were starting to bloom again. Dan skipped a little ahead, twirling every so often so that Phil could catch up. Dan stopped to pick some flowers and tucked one behind his ear and the rest peeked out of his blazer pocket. Then they walked side by side, no longer holding hands like they used to, although they both were secretly missing it. They were at the age where school was starting to put more pressure on them to do well in their exams, so it was nice to have a break at the end of every day to just walk together in the beautiful scenery and to speak their thoughts freely.

"Phil?" Dan asked tentatively. He had been worrying the whole day about this. However, his philosophy was that it was best to get things over and done with as quickly as possible.

"Will you? Will you go to prom with me?"

Phil couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had crushed on Dan, on his cute dimple, on his seemingly innocent eyes, on his soft, curly, 'hobbit' hair, on his infectious smile, on his pastel aesthetic for years and now it had turned out that Dan had noticed him too.

"Of course."

The prom ended up being a pleasing mixture of Phil's impossible hopes and real expectations. Wearing a smart, black suit and just his stud earrings (so he hopefully wouldn't hate the photos when he was older), Phil arrived at Dan's house with a bouquet of beautiful flowers. Together, they rode to the school, greeting their few friends as they arrived and holding hands the whole time. Neither of them wanted to let go again. The hall was hot, loud and chaotic. It was almost overpowering for the two introverts but they had each other and that was what mattered.

As the evening wore on and the light outside began to fade, the hall started to finally quieten and the songs became slower. Sweaty and exhausted, punk black and pastel pink leant on each other, gently rocking from side to side.

"To think," Dan mumbled into Phil's ear, "after all these years it turns out we are actually gay."

"Not necessarily," Phil said, "either of us could be bi or pan or-" but he was cut off by Dan's lips capturing his and the sweet taste of fruit punch entering his mouth. 

As Phil drew back for breath, Dan whispered, "I love you."

Phil was caught off guard; he hadn't been expecting that so soon. 

"I don't know what true love even is, Dan, but I do want to hang out with you for the rest of my life."


End file.
